Inuyasha and the Lightning Storm
by WishingAuthor
Summary: Inuyasha and the gang are still trying to collect jewel shards. But what will happen when a half-demon as sarcastic as Inuyasha is stubborn joins the group? This half-demon has a past she isn't willing to share. Can the group trust her? I will try to make this an Inu/Kag fic. Seeing as I have an OC, I need to tell her background first. I promise more scenes with Inu/Kag later.
1. A New Member

**Hey guys this is my first FanFic story EVER! I would appreciate collective criticism and reviews. And PLEASE spread the word that this story is out.**

Ch. 1—A New Member

Inuyasha, Kagome, and Shippo were walking through a meadow, when Kagome stopped.

"I sense multiple Jewel shards," she stated. "They're coming from the sky."

Inuyasha unsheathed Tetsusaiga. "I'll take care of this."

Suddenly, there was a blinding flash and the demon appeared between Inuyasha and Kagome.

_Ha. This will be easy,_ thought Inuyasha.

The demon had long dark blue hair and huge talons for fingernails. Strapped to its right hip was a sword. The demon wore a dark blue, almost black, cloak.

"I don't want to fight you," the demon said in a low voice.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever." Inuyasha replied.

"I'm telling you, I don't want to fight," the demon repeated as it stepped closer to Kagome, reaching out a hand.

Inuyasha was not going to let this demon lay a hand a Kagome, let alone get the shards. Inuyasha lunged for the demon, but it jumped out of the way. Inuyasha became annoyed when the demon kept dodging his blows and never fought back.

"Stop running and fight, you coward," Inuyasha yelled.

"I'm not a coward." The demon shouted back, drawing its sword. "I told you I don't want to fight, so why can't you listen to me?"

"You're the one who started the attack by showing up here," Inuyasha countered.

The demon turned to face Inuyasha. Inuyasha stepped back. "You're a girl?"

"How very observant of you! Now will you sheath your sword and stop attacking me?"

"You expect me to just let you take the Shikon Jewel shards?"

"Like I even want those."

"Why else would you have come here and attacked Kagome?"

"I didn't attack anyone. YOU attacked me."

"Well, demons and I don't really get along."

"So you assumed I wanted to fight even though I told you twice I didn't want to fight."

"Like I'm supposed to believe the words of a demon."

_Wait a second; this demon isn't using the shards for their own use. She has them in a jar like I do,_ Kagome realized.

"Inuyasha, wait."

"Shut up, Kagome. Can't you see I'm busy?"

"Inuyasha, SIT!"

There was a thud as Inuyasha face planted. "Kagome, what'd ya do that for?"

"Can't you see she's not using the power of the jewel shards?"

"What?" Inuyasha stood up, and finally caught her scent. "You're half?"

"Well, you finally used your nose and figured that out. My name is Kurami," the half-demon said sarcastically as she sheathed her sword. **(Kurami means dark beauty).**

"I'm Kagome, and this is Inuyasha."

"And I'm Shippo."

"I noticed you walking down below and knew that you were the strange girl priestess, the half-demon and the fox demon that many villages have been talking about. Although I realize that two from your group are missing."

"Yes, Sango and Miroku are back at Sango's village. They should be coming back tonight," Kagome explained.

"Well what do you want?" Inuyasha demanded.

"Don't test me. I believe these belong to you, Kagome," Kurami stated as she handed Kagome the jar of her shards.

"Why are you giving these to me?"

"They are rightfully yours, aren't they? You are collecting them, hoping to put the Shikon Jewel back together."

"Mhmm. Thank you."

"We better make camp for the night. We want Sango and Miroku to find us," Inuyasha said. It was obvious he was upset.

"I was hoping I could join the group, for a short time at least."

"Why do you want to join the group?"

"What's the point in looking for demons when they always seem to find you guys? I won't get in the way; I'll just help when you need it."

"We don't need your help."

"Inuyasha! Sit!" Kagome scolded. Immediately, Inuyasha face planted again.

"We really can't decide without Sango and Miroku here," Shippo said simply.

"Fair enough. Then I shall wait for their return."

Inuyasha rolled his eyes as he picked himself up from the ground.

Kurami rolled her eyes in response.

They set up an area to camp for the night. While they waited, Kurami pulled out a dagger that was strapped to her leg and began sharpening her talons. A fire was blazing in the middle of the small circle in which they were sitting.

"What are you doing that for?" Inuyasha questioned suspiciously.

"What does it look like?" Kurami answered as she flashed her talons at him. "If you don't trust me, why do you sit beside me?"

"So I can keep an eye on you."

"Humph. Whatever." She went back to sharpening.

Meanwhile, Miroku and Sango were approaching.

"Who's that?" Sango asked.

"I don't know, but Inuyasha doesn't look too happy."

As they came closer, they were noticed by Kagome, who ran to greet them.

"Miroku, Sango, we have a visitor. She is a half-demon," Kagome explained.

"_She's_ a half-demon, hmm," Miroku said, putting emphasis on the gender of the half-demon.

"Miroku, don't even think about," Sango said with disgust.

Kurami stood up as the three approached the circle.

"Hello, I'm…" Kurami stopped short. "Sango? Is it really you?"


	2. Kurami and Sango

**Hey guys, I'm sorry it took me awhile to update. I'm still getting used to FanFic. Enjoy the story. Review please!**

Ch. 2—Sango and Kurami

"I'm sorry, I don't remember you," Sango confessed.

"We mentioned her name was Sango, so don't act so surprised," Inuyasha commented.

"I wasn't talking to you. I'm sorry, but I never put it together that Sango could be the one I knew when I was a small girl."

"I'm really sorry, but I still don't remember you," Sango apologized.

"I live in the Demon Slayer sister village. You and some other Slayers came and visited us. The last we had heard was that you had been tricked and the entire village was slaughtered. I had no idea that you were alive."

"I remember you now. You hid in the shadows, avoiding everyone. Yet you took time to approach me."

***Flashback***

Kurami watched from between two houses as the Demon Slayers from a sister village entered. They were all dressed in the typical Slayer outfit: black armor, colored ribbons, face masks, and purified demon bone weapons. They were welcomed with open arms.

Towards the back of the sister group, was the youngest member. They were no older than twelve. This Slayer turned at looked at Kurami, and then waved.

Kurami slunk back into the shadows.

Later that afternoon, some village boys were playing games.

The youngest member had taken their mask off and asked to join. Her weapon was still slung over her shoulder.

"Why should we let you join?" one boy said.

"I'd like to play," the girl replied.

"Why would you want to play with us?" another boy questioned.

"Because I enjoy playing this game back in my village. It's popular among Slayer apprentices."

"Oh, that's right, you're a full Slayer, and we're not. You wouldn't want to play with us anyways. We'd be too far below you to offer any real challenge. Go back to the other Slayers; those are the people who you belong with," the oldest boy sneered sarcastically.

"But I," the girl started.

"Can't you take a hint? We don't want you here. So leave," the oldest boy remarked.

The girl frowned and then turned away.

Kurami had watched all this happen from behind a water barrel. She watched as the young Slayer went to sit by the river bank that was a border for the village.

Kurami followed her. She wanted to comfort this girl because she herself had known the effect of the boys' harsh words.

As she approached, a branch snapped underneath her feet. The girl stood up and drew her katana.

"Who's there?" she demanded.

Kurami's eyes went wide with fear. She didn't mean to scare the girl.

"Oh, I'm sorry if I scared you," the girl said to Kurami as she sheathed her katana.

Kurami relaxed some and sat down beside the girl. "Don't mind them. They're bullies," she said in a small voice.

"I see. I'm Sango, by the way."

"Kurami."

"Do you live around here?"

Kurami nodded and pointed to a house towards the outskirts of the village.

"You live with Aniyuki?" Sango questioned.

Again, Kurami nodded.

"Why do you live here?"

Kurami shrugged. "Aniyuki has been very kind to me. I'm still getting used to it, and so are the villagers, but at least it's a place to live and call home."

"Thank you for being kind to me. Being the youngest slayer, I get a lot of criticism from other villagers. Some of the other boys bully me back home because they're jealous of my skills."

"Like I said, don't mind them. They aren't even Slayer apprentices."

"They aren't? So they're jealous and that's why they bully others."

Kurami nodded.

"I better get back to the Slayers, but it was nice to meet you. I hope we meet again," Sango said as she ran off.

***End of Flashback***

"Yeah, yeah, I don't care about a sweet moment you two had way back when," Inuyasha said, breaking Kurami's earlier mood of happiness.

"Inuyasha, don't be rude and ruin a moment of finding a lost friend," Miroku commented.

"Do you still live with Aniyuki?" Sango asked.

"Yes. We don't see each other as much as we'd like, but we make it work."

"Are you in a relationship?" Kagome wondered, suddenly very interested.

"No, Aniyuki is like my older brother. We both get various assignments from the leaders, so we're gone quite a bit."

"Let's cut the talk and get some rest before morning comes," Inuyasha suggested.

"Inuyasha, we still have one thing to discuss," Kurami stated.

"Oh yeah, what's that?"

"Whether or not I can join you guys."

"Miroku, Sango, what do you think? Could Kurami join us?" Kagome asked.

"It wouldn't be until you find all the shards of the jewel. It'd only be a temporary thing."

"Don't you have assignments to carry out for the Slayers?" Inuyasha sneered.

"No. I'm on a break."

"I think it'd be a good idea for her to join. We could use another person, especially another half-demon," Sango voiced.

"I agree with Sango," Miroku stated.

Inuyasha growled.

"I have to say, having another girl along, will be fun," Kagome said. "Besides, we need someone to balance out Inuyasha's bad moods."

"I'm never in a bad mood," Inuyasha growled.

"Inuyasha, you do to have bad moods. Like when Kagome goes back to her own time," Shippo stated calmly.

"Shippo, you idiot! You don't tell a stranger everything about Kagome!" Inuyasha shouted as he hit Shippo in the head.

Kurami raised her eyebrows.

"We'll explain later," Sango whispered. Kurami nodded.

"Since when do you guys think I'm not enough," Inuyasha huffed.

"Even I can answer that. My night of weakness isn't the same as yours," Kurami pointed out.

"How do you know that?"

"I'm a half-demon, too. Besides, your smell is different."

"What do you mean different?"

"How do I put this? Your dog scent isn't as strong. It's still there; it's just being slightly overpowered by another scent."

Inuyasha was about to snap back when Kagome intervened. "Look, we're all tired, how 'bout we get some rest?"

Everyone agreed and soon settled down for the night. Kurami noticed that Inuyasha didn't fall asleep completely; instead, he stayed half awake so he was aware of his surroundings.

_He's protecting them. He comes across as being really stuck up, but he genuinely cares for the others, _Kurami thought.

She continued to watch him, wondering if he had ever shared with them how he had felt growing up. She knew he struggled; all half-demons did. It was one thing she had in common with him.


	3. The Half-Dragon Demon

**Hey guys, sorry for the late update. I have been busy with collage scholarship essays, but soon, it shall all be over. I know this is a short chapter. I'll try and get the next one up soon. Thanks for reading. Please review!**

Ch. 3—The Half-Dragon Demon

The next morning, the group got ready to continue on their journey.

"How are you going to keep up with us?" Sango questioned. "Kagome doesn't have her weird contraption **(her bicycle)**. Kirara carries Miroku, Shippo, and me. And Inuyasha just runs and jumps while carrying Kagome."

"Don't worry. Sango, can you hold my cloak?" Kurami asked as Sango climbed onto Kirara.

"Uh, sure."

"It's only fair that I tell you my demon half. As you all can see from Inuyasha's ears, he is half dog demon. My demon half is dragon."

"I've never heard of anything like that," Inuyasha scoffed.

"There aren't many of us; I only know of one other. There aren't even that many dragon demons still alive," Kurami explained, glaring at Inuyasha the entire time.

"So does your demon parent still live?" Kagome asked.

"No. Unfortunately, both my parents are dead."

"We're wasting time here," Inuyasha grumbled.

"Shut up," Kurami snapped. "Anyways, because I am half dragon demon, I will fly next to Kirara."

"Fly?" Miroku wondered.

"That is what I said, isn't it?" Kurami verified as she removed her cloak.

She closed her eyes and focused on spreading her dark blue wings. Her wing span was ten feet.

"Do you always have those?" Kagome asked curiously.

"Yes. That's why I wear the cloak."

"Well, we don't have all day," Inuyasha nagged.

Kirara and Kurami took off into the sky, while Inuyasha began running on the ground.

That afternoon, the group rested. Inuyasha was reluctant, but everyone was hungry.

During lunch, Inuyasha looked at Kurami. He still didn't enjoy having her in the group, but he couldn't argue with everyone else. He knew his reason for not trusting her, but he would never share it with the group. The reason was her scent. It wasn't like that of a normal half-demon. The reason he had first thought she was a full demon was because he could smell the demon on her more than he could smell the human part. The problem was that the demon smell didn't match her demon scent; it was the scent of another demon. Inuyasha wondered how she could smell like a half-demon and another demon at the same time.

"You know, for attracting demons as often as I've heard, I'm surprised we haven't come across one," Kurami said.

"Yeah, it's actually pretty lucky we haven't run into any yet," Inuyasha growled.

"I was just pointing out a fact. There is no need to get all defensive."

Inuyasha just huffed.

After eating, the group took off again. Inuyasha led the way with Kagome on his back. Kirara and Kurami flew above.

That evening, the group sat around the fire.

"Inuyasha, I may have to go back soon. I have some tests to study for," Kagome stated calmly.

"WHAT?! You can't leave now," Inuyasha said in disbelief.

"I didn't say I was leaving now. I said I needed to leave soon. Don't worry, I'll wait until after the new moon," Kagome said, and then realized she had revealed his night of weakness to Kurami.

Inuyasha just glared at her.

"I was bound to find out sooner or later. Either someone said something, or it actually happened. But what do you mean by going back? And Shippo said something earlier about Kagome going back to her own time," Kurami expressed.

"I'm from a time period 500 years in the future. I fell through the Bone Man's Well and ended up here. I freed Inuyasha from a tree to which he was pinned by a sacred arrow for 50 years. I was able to free him because I'm the reincarnation of the woman who shot the arrow, the priestess Kikyo. When I arrived here, the Shikon jewel was embedded in my stomach. I accidentally shattered it later, which is why I'm still here. Plus, we have a demon to defeat. I still have a life in the future, so every once in awhile, I have to go back and catch up on school work," Kagome explained.

Kurami processed it all. It was difficult to understand, but she got the gist of it.

"Yeah, well, just so long as nothing happens between now and whenever you leave, I don't really care," Inuyasha shrugged.

"What do you mean by nothing happening?" Kurami asked.

"As long as no demons show up, I don't care when she leaves. Which it might be your fault they haven't."

"My fault? Why would it be my fault?"

"Ever since I first saw you, you smelled different. It's not the scent of a half-demon."

"So you automatically assume that because I smell different, I'm in league with some demon and that's why they haven't attacked?"

"No. I don't necessarily believe that."

"You believe I'm in league with Naraku?"

"It's not that farfetched," Inuyasha said as he closed his eyes.

Kurami's blood was boiling. The talons on her left hand grew some. She stood up as she held up the first two fingers on her left hand.

CRACK!

Inuyasha opened his eyes. Everyone else's mouths were open and Shippo was hiding behind Kagome. There was a long, electric whip coming from the two fingers on Kurami's left hand.


	4. The New Moon

**Hey guys, thanks for being so patient with me. So I'm rewarding you with a long chapter. This chapter has some humor and more Inuyasha/Kagome pairing. Please R & R. Enjoy!**

Ch. 4—The New Moon

"How dare you accuse me of being in league with that foul monster," Kurami said in a dangerously low voice. "Naraku is the one who awaken the demon that killed my mother."

"He doesn't exactly like humans."

"My mother was the demon, YOU FOOL!"

Everyone's mouths dropped open further, if that was possible.

"I've never heard of a half-demon whose mother was the demon parent," Sango remarked.

"It doesn't happen very often," Kurami mentioned.

"Was your mother in league with Naraku?" Inuyasha asked.

Kurami growled warningly. "No. Dragons tend to keep to themselves. They don't get involved in battles they have no point in waging."

Kurami flicked her wrist and the whip disappeared.

"But the whip? Where did you get that?" Inuyasha wondered.

"What do you mean?"

"I've never seen a half-demon with that kind of power. Did Sesshomaru tell you where to get that power?"

"Sesshomaru? Your half-brother? So because I am not with Naraku, you think I'm with your brother?"

"He's the only one I know with a whip similar to yours."

"Ugh! I have met your brother once. He almost killed me before he realized I was helping Rin not hurting her. Sesshomaru let me continue to help Rin, but afterwards, they left. I would not work with your brother; it wouldn't be a good combination."

"Why do you say that?"

"He doesn't talk much, but is a control person. I am also a control person, so immediately, there would be problems. Not to mention both of us don't like being told what to do."

At this point, Kurami was tired from defending herself and sick of explaining the obvious to Inuyasha. She stood up and walked away from the group.

Inuyasha just watched her walk away.

"What's her problem?" he asked.

"Inuyasha, how could you be so insensitive to another half-demon?" Kagome demanded.

"What are you talking about?'

"You accused her of being in league with Naraku. Don't tell me you don't know what I'm talking about. She's working with us. She lives in a Slayer village. How could she be working with Naraku? Not to mention, he despises half-demons. Then you ask if she is with Sesshomaru. I know you dislike your brother, but you made it sound like he was as bad as Naraku."

"She could've made the story up."

"But then how would I have remembered her?" Sango questioned.

"You should go apologize to her," Kagome suggested.

"I'm not apologizing. She's the one that blew up at me."

"You're the one who started it."

Inuyasha crossed his arms and turned away from Kagome.

"Ugh!" Kagome sat down exasperated.

The group went to sleep shortly afterwards.

The next morning, the others awakened to find Kurami had not returned.

"I knew something like this would happen," Inuyasha claimed.

"Inuyasha, calm down. I'm sure there's a logical explanation for this," Miroku explained simply.

_Yeah, she's betrayed us and is reporting us to Naraku. I knew I smelled something different about her,_ Inuyasha thought.

"I'll go find her and talk to her," Sango said calmly to Kagome.

Sango took off for the woods, Hiraikotsu over her shoulder.

Kurami heard the soft footsteps approaching.

Sango found Kurami at a stream hunting fish.

"Kurami?"

"Sango, why do you stay with them? You would be welcome into my village," Kurami wondered without looking up from what she was doing.

Sango paused before answering. "I have to help them kill Naraku."

"Why?"

"He has taken my brother."

"Kohaku is still alive?"

"Yes. He is kept alive by a jewel shard. Naraku has him under his control. And he doesn't remember anything."

Kurami looked up, a fish in her left hand. "I'm sorry Sango. I can't imagine how hard it is for you. But know that after you defeat Naraku, you are always welcome in my home."

"Thank you. What about you? Why are you traveling with us?"

"I needed to clear my mind of some things. And I needed something to do."

"What do you mean by something to do?"

"Well, the leaders have been given me so-called breaks. Meaning, they want other Slayers to have a chance at defeating demons. I'm only called if it's a stronger demon."

"Oh, I see. Kurami, Inuyasha didn't mean everything he said the night before."

"You don't have to apologize for him. He can apologize himself. But I understand where he is coming from. His anger flares more often because he is near his night of weakness. Inuyasha needs to learn that I keep my past to myself, just like he does. I'm not in league with Naraku and my mother wasn't either. I got angry because he accused me of something I am not guilty of. And it hurt that he doesn't trust me, not even a little. He of all people should understand my anger.

"It took me years to trust anyone other than Aniyuki. I am still learning to trust people. Half-demons are so used to be rejected, that we forget what it feels like to trust others. That is something Inuyasha and I both need to work on."

"I think I understand now. I know Inuyasha upset you, but I think he'd understand you better than anyone else in our group."

Kurami smiled at her. "Thank you. You have always been a friend."

"What do you mean by that?"

"That first day we met, you didn't make fun of me, or look down on me because I was a half-demon living in a Demon Slayer village; instead you asked me where I lived. You didn't tell me to go home; you asked why I stayed. The truth is…you were the first person, other than Aniyuki, who I actually talked to."

"Seriously?"

"Yes."

"Let's go back to the others."

Together the two girls joined the others. Kurami was holding the fish and the group enjoyed a nice, warm breakfast.

"We need to make it past a village. I'm not staying in a house while I'm human," Inuyasha declared.

"Fine. The next village is few miles to the north. If we keep traveling that direction, we should pass the village by sundown," Miroku explained.

"And I'm not traveling human."

"There's a village due east of us. It's closer than the village Miroku mentioned. We could pass through it with a couple hours of daylight left. I will warn you though the villagers aren't the nicest people. And there tends to be a demon. Generally, the demon is extremely weak, but a demon is a demon."

"And the villagers never notice it?" Inuyasha asked incredulously.

"Usually, no. They're not the brightest people ever. They hate outsiders, but welcome demons with open arms."

"I assume then you've been there."

"Only a few times. And the villagers still dislike me."

"Wonderful."

"Why don't they like you?" Shippo asked out of curiosity.

"When I was little, I stole some food from them, on more than one occasion. They were easy to steal from because they were so unaware and unprepared to catch a half-demon. When I came back years later to destroy a demon, they didn't forgive me for stealing."

"They still remembered you?"

"It's hard to forget a girl with dark blue hair and wings."

"I don't know," Inuyasha stated.

"What don't you know?" Kurami asked.

"By going east, we're getting closer to my brother's castle."

"And?"

"We don't exactly get along."

"Sesshomaru isn't even at the castle. And his mother won't bother us. It isn't like we're going to visit the castle."

"Fine. We'll go east."

The group changed their direction to the east.

A few miles outside the town, Kirara and Kurami flew down to the ground. Kurami folded her wings then asked for her cloak back from Sango.

They entered the village and immediately received glares from the villagers.

"Uh, you weren't kidding, Kurami," Shippo said a little nervously as men began to pick up their weapons.

"I hardly ever kid, Shippo."

"What'd ya want this time?" a man asked. He was obviously the leader in this village.

"I'm just passing through with my friends," Kurami replied calmly.

Before they entered, she had told the others to leave the talking to her. While they villagers may dislike her, they recognized her and would be more inclined to believe her.

"You aren't here to steal our money?"

"No. I'm just passing through."

"Why would we believe ya?"

"Kurami," Inuyasha growled, telling me that he was ready to punch some people who were getting too close.

"Look, my friends and I just want to get through your village and continue on our journey."

"Humph."

"Please sir, we really need to get going. You see, his grandmother is terribly sick. She specifically asked to see him before she moves on. We haven't got much time. All he wants to do is see his grandmother one last time," Kagome interrupted.

Inuyasha was trying to control himself from exploding at Kagome for making him the poor grandchild. Kurami was impressed with the story Kagome was able to come up with so quickly.

"Well, if that's why ya need to get through, then why didn't you say so earlier? Girl, thank you for clarifying things. Now be on your way," the man.

The villagers relaxed some and put away their weapons.

Once we were well past the village, Inuyasha exploded.

"Why did it have to be me?" Inuyasha yelled. His face was one of rage and shock.

"Because you were closest to me," Kagome replied simply.

"A sick grandmother! You couldn't have thought of anything better?"

"Hey, at least I didn't make us engaged or something! You got more upset when I told the Thunder Brothers that I was your mate."

Inuyasha growled. "Next time, make somebody else have the poor sick grandmother."

"Inuyasha, Kagome got us through the village. I don't know how long we would have been there if it hadn't of been for her story," Miroku pointed out.

Inuyasha growled again.

"Miroku's right. Those people are almost as stubborn as you are. Not to mention they still dislike me. It might have been close to sundown by the time I convinced them," Kurami added.

"I don't care what it accomplished. I don't see why it had to be me."

"Sit boy," Kagome said.

Inuyasha face planted. "Kagome."

Kurami rolled her eyes.

"Now that we're past the village, can we set up a fire?" Kurami asked, breaking the tension.

"Yes. Kirara and I will go look for firewood," Sango volunteered.

The rest of the group sat in a circle on the ground. Inuyasha sat with his arms crossed, dreading the coming hours.

Sango returned shortly before sundown. After setting up the firewood, Miroku sat back.

"Well, aren't you going to start it?" Inuyasha wondered.

"You're the one who usually does it," Miroku explained.

Kurami sighed. "Please tell me you _know_ how to start a fire?"

"I do," Inuyasha defended. "I'm just not in the mood right now."

Kurami sighed again. She caused electricity to appear on her left hand. Directing the lightning towards the firewood, she sent a single burst. Within seconds, the firewood was lit.

Inuyasha glared at Kurami. She could tell he thought that she was a show-off.

"Don't give me that look Inuyasha."

Inuyasha just turned away and grunted.

The sun dipped behind the hills; immediately, Inuyasha's ears disappeared, his claws and fangs became human-like, and his hair turned black.

He sat there for a while, waiting for Kurami to say something, but she never did. Realizing that no one was talking, Inuyasha stood up and walked away from the group.

"Inuyasha," Kagome called out after him.

"Leave him alone," Kurami said.

Everyone looked at her with surprise.

"What? I don't hate him. Kagome, you may be good friends with him, but you have to give him his space, especially tonight. Half-demons despise their night of weakness. He just needs time to think; time to himself."

"But he has never done that before," Miroku stated.

"That is because he still felt like he needed to protect you. Tonight, he can rest some because he knows that I will look over you. Although he doesn't trust me completely, he is thankful that I'm here."

"How do you know this?" Miroku questioned.

Kurami raised one eyebrow at him. "Did you really just ask that?"

Miroku thought about what he had asked, realized the stupidity of it, and then smiled.

Kurami just rolled her eyes.

As the others drifted off to sleep, Kurami stayed awake and alert. Inuyasha still hadn't returned, but she wasn't worried about him. She knew the feeling of needing to be alone with one's thoughts.

Kurami might have thought that everyone was asleep, but Kagome wasn't.

She was thinking of Kurami. _How could she know so much about Inuyasha when they just met a few days ago? I've known him for five months and he's barely opened up to me. She is a half-demon, so maybe she understands. Still._

Kagome looked at Kurami. The half-demon had her eyes closed. Kagome decided to go see Inuyasha anyways. She didn't care what Kurami had said; she cared about Inuyasha.

Slowly, as to make as little noise as possible, she got up and walked in the direction she had last seen him heading.

Inuyasha had been standing behind a tree watching the rest of the group. After standing there a few minutes, Inuyasha walked away. He was thinking about Kurami. She was strange, sarcastic, and sometimes annoying, but it was kind-of nice having another half-demon along. He would never admit that to the others, but he liked having someone who understood him without having to talk. But he was still confused about her scent.

Inuyasha then thought about Kagome. He really did like having her there in the Feudal era, hating it when she had to return home. He knew eventually that he'd have to choose between Kikyo and Kagome. Although he had said that he preferred Kikyo, his heart was still confused and unwilling to agree.

And he thought about his mom. He remembered all the times she had been there for him; the times she'd cried for him. He missed her a lot. Even though she'd been gone for awhile now, on the new moon, he would miss her more than normal.

He was lost in thought when a branch snapped behind him. _Damn it. How far away did I walk?_

"Inuyasha?" Kagome whispered.

"Here," he called back, relieved now that he knew who was approaching.

Through the trees, Kagome found Inuyasha sitting on the ground.

"Hey," he simply said.

"Hey," she whispered back as she smiled. "Are you doing okay?"

"Yeah. Just thinking."

Kagome just smiled. She didn't need to know what he was thinking about; she just wanted him to know that she was there for him.

"It's night like these that I think about my mom," Inuyasha remarked after a pause.

Kagome said nothing, just content to listen to him.

"She used to cry for me. I never really noticed it until I was older and after she was gone. She was sad because she knew how hard my life would be, being a half-demon. I'm not human, and I'm not a demon. I don't belong in either world."

"I kinda know what you mean. When I go back to my time, I feel like I've missed so much between my friends and classes. And nothing is dangerous like it is here, or at least, there are fewer demons. When I'm here, I feel like a stranger because I know about things you have never heard of here."

Inuyasha looked at Kagome with a look of interest and surprise.

"What?" She asked.

"I never thought about it that way. It must be hard for you."

"It must be hard for you too."

They both looked at each other, now having a deeper understanding.

_Kurami may understand him, but now I do too,_ Kagome thought as she rested her head on his shoulder.

Meanwhile, Kurami had heard Kagome get up and watched her leave, but didn't try and stop her. _Maybe I underestimated her. She has a will of her own, and no one can stop her. Though, she has been traveling with him longer than I have, so she knows him better than I do. I just know how he feels because I can relate to him._

She closed her eyes again. She wasn't sleeping, just resting. But she was constantly aware of her surroundings.


	5. Kagome Kidnapped

**Hey guys, again I apologize for the late update, but (again) college scholarships are not fun. Anyways, here's the next chapter; it's kinda long. Please review and spread the word about my story.**

**Disclaimer (since I haven't done this yet): I don't own Inuyasha.**

Ch. 5—Kagome Kidnapped

Kagome woke up on the grass. She was beneath the same tree that they had been under the night before. Inuyasha was nowhere to be seen, but the sun had risen, and she assumed he wasn't too far away.

Just then, Inuyasha appeared from the tree above her.

"You're awake. We should head back to the others. They might be worried," he stated as he jumped down.

Inuyasha bent over so Kagome could climb on his back before heading back to the camp.

When they arrived, everyone else was awake and ready to go.

Kirara transformed and the group took off.

The group had decided to walk to give Kirara a break. Plus they were in no hurry. They were walking through a small mountainous area.

Suddenly, Inuyasha stopped and growled.

"What is it?" Kagome questioned.

"It's that mangy wolf."

"What does he want now?" Sango wondered.

A tornado appeared and was coming straight for the group. Before it hit anyone, it disappeared, and in its place was a wolf demon.

He walked right up to Kagome and grasped her hands. "Kagome, my love, I have missed you."

"Koga, it is nice to see you," Kagome said with a forced smile.

"Get lost you mangy wolf," Inuyasha ordered as he cracked his knuckles.

"Shut up mutt. Kagome, I promise I will come get you, and then you won't have to be around this pup anymore."

"Get away from Kagome," Inuyasha yelled as he stepped between Koga and Kagome.

"You want to do this again?"

"Oh yeah."

The two started fighting. Inuyasha trying to claw Koga, but Koga was too fast. Koga was able to kick Inuyasha a couple of times.

"Both of you stop it," Kagome pleaded but to no avail.

The dog and wolf continued to fight. Neither one wanted to admit defeat.

"Inuyasha, sit."

THUD!

"Kagome," Inuyasha whined.

Koga rushed over to Kagome, stepping on Inuyasha in the process. "I must be on my way. Business calls," Koga said as he quickly disappeared.

"GET BACK HERE AND FIGHT FOR ONCE, MANGY WOLF!" Inuyasha shouted after him.

"You're pathetic," Kurami stated as she rolled her eyes.

Inuyasha growled. He turned to face her. His look asked her why she would voice her opinions.

"You're fighting a wolf demon because he apparently loves Kagome. Can't you just let him be? That obviously wasn't the first time you two have gotten to each other. And it obviously wasn't the first time he's left."

"Shut up."

"I can voice my opinions just as easily as you defend your opinions in a fight."

Inuyasha cracked his knuckles again.

"Inuyasha, calm down," Kagome said as she put her hand on his shoulder.

The group made their way to the next village.

Because it was near night time, they decided to spend the night in the village. They were graciously welcomed into a wealthy home, thanks to Miroku's fake exorcism.

"I'll watch," Inuyasha volunteered.

"Do we need to keep watch? We are in a village," Kagome said.

"You never know who, or what, will come and attack. Villagers usually can't sense a demon's presence, especially if they are sleeping," Kurami explained.

The others settled down to sleep: Kagome, Sango, and Shippo in one room, Miroku in another. Inuyasha sat down by the door of room Miroku and he was sharing.

"Thanks," Kurami said to the half-demon before joining the girls in the other room.

"For what?"

"For offering to watch."

"No biggie. You watched the others on my night of weakness."

Kurami gave Inuyasha a small smiled and he returned the gesture.

"Kurami?" Inuyasha asked.

"Yeah?"

"Where are you from?"

"A demon slayer village."

"I know that. I meant before the slayer village."

"It's a long story."

She walked out of the room and went to joined Kagome, Sango, and Shippo.

Before she fell asleep, Kurami looked at the night sky. Her face showed a sorrow that none of the others knew she felt. She reached around her neck and pulled out a necklace. Holding the pendant in her hand, she closed her eyes. A single tear ran down her face. Kurami quickly wiped it away and fell asleep.

Meanwhile, Inuyasha was wondering about what Kurami said. He had noticed this hurt look in her eyes before she looked away. _Why is she afraid to share?_ Inuyasha speculated. Shrugging it off, he looked out into the distance, ready if any demons attacked.

The next morning, Kagome, Kurami, and Shippo woke up to a loud smack.

"You lecher!" Sango yelled.

Miroku was sitting up beside her, a red handprint on his face.

Kurami gave Kagome a curious look.

"Miroku never learns, does he?" Shippo asked.

Kagome shook her head.

"I take it this happens a lot," Kurami commented.

Both Shippo and Kagome nodded.

Inuyasha entered, guessing what had happened because of the mark on Miroku's face.

A few minutes later, the group was ready to go.

They were passing through another mountainous area when Inuyasha stopped.

"Do you smell that?" He asked Kurami.

"No. My nose isn't as strong as yours though. I can kinda sense something."

Suddenly, three ogres appeared in the pathway in front of the group.

Inuyasha pulled out Tetsusaiga; Sango had Hiraikotsu in hand; Kurami had withdrawn her sword.

Two more appeared behind them.

Inuyasha, Sango, and Kurami began attacking the ogres in front of them while Miroku and Kirara took care of the two behind the group.

Because they were preoccupied, the group didn't see the sixth ogre approach. He grabbed Kagome, putting his hand over her mouth. Due to the stench of his demonic aura, Kagome was unconscious in seconds.

Kurami watched out of the corner of her eye as the ogre dragged Kagome away.

"Inuyasha," Kurami said as she struck another blow at the ogre. _This is taking too long. We need to follow Kagome. _"Everyone duck!" She yelled as she sheathed her sword.

Inuyasha didn't listen and continued to fight.

Kurami brought her pointer and index fingers up in front of her face and then back down to her side. The lightning whip appeared. "INUYASHA!"

Kurami jumped in the air and spun around, flicking the wrist at the five ogres. Once the spin was complete, she landed in a crouch, the whip behind her.

The ogres were remains now. The others were standing up, looking around in shock.

"What are you crazy?! You could've killed me!" Inuyasha yelled.

"I told you to get down," she growled. "It's not my fault you didn't listen the first time."

"Why did you do that? We could've handled it ourselves."

"Because while we were busy fighting, a sixth ogre appeared and kidnapped Kagome."

"WHAT?! And you just stayed here?" Inuyasha exploded.

"I was slightly busy. I knew that if we wanted to have any chance of finding her, we needed to leave as soon as possible, so let's go now."

That snapped Inuyasha back to reality. The group went off, following the direction Kurami remembered them heading.

The path forked later on, but with Inuyasha's keen sense of smell, it wasn't that hard to figure out which direction to take.

Eventually, the group reached a cave.

"Well, this looks inviting," Miroku commented.

"Uh, do we really have to go in there?" Shippo said in a slightly higher pitched voice than normal.

"Come on, Shippo," Inuyasha remarked, dragging Shippo behind him.

After walking a few meters into the cave, the daylight was no longer visible. Everyone relied on Inuyasha to guide them. Suddenly, Inuyasha stopped. Everyone else stopped too.

"What is it, Inuyasha?" Miroku questioned.

"I can't see a thing."

"What do you mean you can't see a thing? I thought dogs had great night vision."

"We do, it's just this fog. It's so thick, I can't see anything. There seem to be strange objects hanging from the ceiling."

"Wonderful," Sango sighed.

"Move," Kurami ordered.

She began to walk forward and the others followed her.

"Stop," she said abruptly.

"At this rate, we'll never reach Kagome in time," Inuyasha remarked.

"Listen, I think it would be best if you all stayed behind. I'll go on ahead and get Kagome," Kurami suggested.

"WHAT? No way are you going to rescue Kagome on your own. I'm coming with you," Inuyasha demanded.

"How? You can't see a thing."

"And you can?" Sango asked.

"Dragons have a special vision. My eyes can penetrate the fog and the darkness."

"And why don't you lead us?" Inuyasha wondered.

"Because I don't want to have to constantly look after you guys and search for Kagome at the same time. We don't want to have to rescue two people instead of one."

Inuyasha huffed and started walking forward.

"INUYASHA!" Kurami screamed for the second time that day.

The group watched as Inuyasha fell off the edge of a chasm. Kurami quickly jumped over the edge, unfurled her wings, and caught Inuyasha. She set him down on the floor, away from the edge.

"See what I mean," Kurami said seriously. She was upset that Inuyasha had not listened to her. "Look, I promise I will bring her back her safely. I need you all to stay right here."

"If you don't bring her back, you'll answer to me," Inuyasha threatened.

"I know," she replied with an eye roll as she began to move forward into the fog. It wasn't long before the others lost sight of her.

Kurami was walking through the cave. Thankfully, it was relatively easy to follow the ogre because there was only one path.

Eventually, she saw light up ahead. Slowing down, she approached cautiously. Kurami heard voices in the open area around the bend.

"Thanks for the jewel shards. Now you'll make a nice meal," the ogre said.

"You give those back to me. And just wait 'til Inuyasha comes," Kagome said defiantly.

The ogre didn't respond.

Kurami was near the opening now. Looking around the cavern, she saw a small ledge. While the ogre's back was turned, she launched herself into the air and flew quietly up to the ledge. From here, she could see the scene much better than from the cavern entrance.

Kagome was tied up and set against a wall. There was a fire with a huge pot over it. In a corner lay treasures which the ogre had kept from previous victims. There was another tunnel leading from the right side of the cavern. _I wonder where that leads,_ Kurami thought. _Doesn't matter. How am I going to get Kagome out of here? It would be easier if I could fly, but the ceilings in the tunnels are too low._

Kurami was just about to use her lightning whip when another ogre appeared from the second tunnel. She knew that if she tried to use it now, the second ogre would spot her, and the rescue plans would be in vain.

As she was trying to come up with another plan, she smelled something. _That idiot!_ Kurami thought. The scent was unmistakable: Inuyasha.

Sure enough, Inuyasha came through the opening with Tetsusaiga in his hand.

"Get away from Kagome," he yelled.

Inuyasha moved in front of Kagome so his back was towards the other opening. He hadn't seen Kurami when he entered. _Ha. Just as I thought, she's abandoned us,_ Inuyasha thought.

Because of his position, Inuyasha was unable to see the ogre approaching from behind him. And because two other ogres were already in the cavern, he didn't notice the smell.

The ogre had a large club in his hand, and he hit Inuyasha on the head. Inuyasha dropped Tetsusaiga, which instantly transformed, and fell to the ground.

Kurami watched this happen and rolled her eyes. Acting purely on instinct, Kurami flew off her perch and drew her sword. She quickly killed the first ogre because she took it by surprise. The other two were more prepared for her attacks. And Kurami watched as one ogre swallowed the jewel shards.

She struck out at them, but they parried her blows. _Come on, Inuyasha. Wake up._ Throwing one ogre backwards from the force of her strike, she nudged Tetsusaiga closer to the unconscious half-demon.

Kurami sheathed her sword. Using her left hand, she created her lightning whip. She aimed it at the second ogre, the blow was designed to scare, not destroy. The electricity in the air made Kagome's and Inuyasha's hair stand on end.

Inuyasha rolled over and moaned. He opened his eyes and shook his head. Realizing where he was and what he was supposed to be doing, he grabbed Tetsusaiga and then stood up and freed Kagome.

"Thank you Inuyasha," she stated simply.

"No problem. Now I'll take care of these ogres."

Kagome nodded in reply.

Kurami was using her whip as effectively as she could in a confined space. She made the whip disappear and withdrew her sword.

Inuyasha jumped beside her and began fighting an ogre. Kurami was fighting off the other one.

Kagome watched as the two half-demons fought beside each other; Inuyasha using Tetsusaiga; Kurami using her sword. She smiled in the midst of her situation.

"Kagome, where are the jewel shards?" Inuyasha suddenly asked her.

Kagome concentrated on the moving body. "In the stomach."

"Makes sense" Inuyasha grunted as he hit the ogre in the stomach. It felt like he had hit rocks.

Kurami was tiring of the ogre constantly blocking her attacks. Suddenly, she got an idea. She jumped up into the air and flew behind the ogre. Landing behind him, she slashed diagonally down across the back, killing the ogre instantly.

The last ogre, momentarily distracted by the sudden disappearance of its fellow ogre, turned to the left. Inuyasha took the opportunity and severed its head from its body.

Both half-demons sheathed their swords. Inuyasha turned to Kagome, making sure she was still okay.

Kagome went over to the remains and pulled out the jewel shards before the ogre could reform. She placed them back in the jar, which she had amazingly found on the ground.

"Let's get out of here," Kurami stated.

"Where are Sango and Miroku?" Kagome asked.

"We left them towards the entrance of the cave," Inuyasha replied.

"Why did you do that?" Kagome questioned.

"First let's get out of here, and then we will explain," Kurami ordered harshly.

"What's your problem?" Inuyasha wondered.

"I hate caves. Now, let's go."

Inuyasha looked at Kagome knowing she was thinking the same thing. _Why did Kurami hate caves? Did it have to do with her past?_

Shrugging their shoulders, they followed Kurami out.

"KAGOME!" Shippo yelled excitedly as he ran to hug Kagome.

"Hey Shippo."

"Kagome, I'm glad you're okay," Sango stated.

"Thanks to Inuyasha and Kurami," Kagome replied.

Together the group walked out of the cave and travelled back to the path they were originally on.

Inuyasha looked at Kurami. Her dark blue eyes held a hatred he had never seen before. She kept glancing back to the cave entrance, as if making sure nothing was following them. _I hate to admit it, but she is a help. Without her, I would've been dead on more than one occasion._

Kurami kept glancing back at the cave entrance. _Of all places for Kagome to get taken to, it had to be that cave._ She despised caves in general, but she hated that cave. That was the cave where it all happened; where she was fed the lies; where she was forced to change. She growled softly.

Kagome heard the growl. "Is everything alright, Kurami?"

"Never better," she stated with a tight smile.

Inuyasha had heard the growl too, but decided not to say anything.


	6. Fight and Confess

**Hey guys, I know it has been like forever since I've updated. I blame school, college classes, and upcoming finals. But I also blame myself because I don't have as much pre-written as I would like. Anyways, I hope you enjoy this next chapter. You get to hear a little bit more about Kurami, but you'll have to read to find out. PLEASE REVIEW!**

Ch. 6—Fight and Confess

The group continued to travel. Surprisingly, no other demons approached them for a few days. But their luck wasn't going to hold.

"Something smells terrible, yet familiar," Inuyasha remarked.

"Familiar in what way?" Kagome asked.

"Like a kind of demon we've encountered before."

"Which is?" Sango prompted.

"Bat."

"Wonderful," Kurami said as she sighed.

"You've met them too?" Miroku said with surprise.

"Yes, I've met a few bat demons. Dragons and bats don't get along."

"Well, I'll just use my Wind Scar and get it done and over with," Inuyasha bragged as he withdrew Tetsusaiga.

"Don't be so hasty. Bat demons hardly ever land when they fight. And if you've encountered them before, you should know that," Kurami said.

"And?"

"Good luck trying to get a decent hit when you can't stay up in the air as long as they can."

"Whatever."

Kurami rolled her eyes and took off her cloak. She withdrew her sword, Kanashimi **(Kanashimi means sorrow).**

The bat demon appeared in the sky. It was large, but not as large as Shiori's grandfather.

"Give me the shards of the Shikon jewel," the demon demanded.

"Not while I'm around," Inuyasha yelled as he leapt up into the air. He attempted to strike the demon, but it flew out of the way.

"Told you," Kurami said.

"Like you could do much better," Inuyasha said without thinking.

Kurami glared at him. When he noticed that she was not wearing her cloak, he scowled.

She jumped up into the air and unfurled her wings. The bat demon scowled at the new fighter.

"A half-demon? That's who you send to fight me?" The bat demon laughed.

Kurami rolled her eyes. "Killing you will be my pleasure."

"Ah, half-dragon demon, I see now. This should be interesting."

The bat demon opened his mouth and a stream of demonic power flowed out. Kurami used Kanashimi to block the attack. She tried to fly closer to him, but he kept sending his demonic power towards her.

As Kurami went to attack, the bat demon turned his head slightly away from her. He opened his mouth and shot out the demonic power. This time, it wasn't aimed at Kurami, but at those on the ground. The blast hit the ground near Kagome and Sango who went flying the air. Kurami watched as Inuyasha and Miroku ran to the girls to see if they were alright.

Kurami turned back to the bat demon. "That was a mistake," she remarked darkly.

The bat demon just laughed. "Foolish half-breed. You will now die."

Kurami held Kanashimi in her left hand and pointed it above her. The sky became darker; thunder rumbled. Suddenly, lightning flashed in the sky.

The bat demon laughed again. Kurami just smiled.

Lightning flashed again, but this time, connected with her sword. The lightning surrounded the blade. Kurami pointed her sword at the bat demon and lightning shot out from her sword towards the demon.

The lightning bolt hit the demon in the chest. The bat demon screamed before turning to dust.

Kurami sheathed her sword and instantly the sky cleared. She landed on the ground where the group was.

Looking at them, she noticed Inuyasha next to Kagome, making sure she was positive she was okay. Miroku, on the other hand, had a red handprint across his face and a scowling Sango standing beside him. Shippo was on Kagome's lap, and Kirara was by Sango.

"I'm sorry. I should have realized the stupid bat was aiming at you guys, not me," Kurami said.

"Don't worry about it. We're all fine. Thanks for getting rid of him though," Kagome said.

"No problem."

"What was the deal with the lightning storm though?" Miroku wondered.

"Yeah, that was strange. I've never seen a bat demon with that power before," Inuyasha stated.

"That's because it wasn't the bat demon's power," Kurami remarked.

Everyone looked at her.

"What are you blabbing about?" Inuyasha questioned.

"I summoned the lightning," Kurami explained. She held up a hand to stop the many questions. "Every dragon has a power over a specific area. In the case of half-dragon demons, they inherit a small portion of their demon parent's power. My mother's name was Arashi **(meaning storm)** and she was a weather dragon."

"So she could control the weather?" Sango asked for clarification.

"Yes. I, as you have seen, have inherited the lightning portion of my mother's weather powers. Normally, this means I could summon lightning, like I just did. But my mother gave me this necklace," Kurami said as she pulled out the necklace for the others to see. The pendant was the size of small coin** (think nickel-size). **It was a bright blue with small white lines that looked like cracks. "It is because of this necklace that I am able to use the Denkou, or lightning whip. This necklace contains some of my mother's power; that is why I have more abilities with my powers than most half-dragon demons."

"That makes more sense," Sango said.

"Is that what you look at night?" Kagome asked.

Kurami turned to face her with a look of anger in her eyes. It quickly disappeared and was replaced by sadness.

"I'm sorry if I said something I shouldn't have," Kagome apologized.

"No need to. I just didn't know you knew. But yes. I look at my necklace every night. I miss my mother, even though I didn't know her that well."

There was a moment of silence.

"So what's the deal with the cave?" Miroku wondered.

Kurami glared at him and growled. "Just because I shared one thing about my life doesn't mean I'm going to tell you the whole story now. My past is my own."

Sango glared daggers at Miroku.

"What?" he asked innocently.

"You don't just ask people questions about their past like that. It's insensitive," she explained.

"I apologize, my dear Sango."

"Oh don't apologize to me. You need to apologize to Kurami."

"I'm sorry," Miroku stated.

"You're lucky I'm in a forgiving mood today," Kurami said simply as she began to walk away.

"Where do you think you're going?" Inuyasha demanded.

"For a walk."

"You don't have to leave," Kagome said sweetly.

Kurami gave a small smile to Kagome. "I'm not leaving for good. I just need to think."

Kagome nodded her understanding and let Kurami go off on her own.


	7. Past Revealed

**Hey guys, since I'm on break, I decided to update at least once. HAPPY NEW YEARS! Hope you all have a great night.**

**Please review. Your reviews encourage me to write. Soooo...the more reviews, the faster I'll update.**

Ch. 7—Past Revealed

The group had built a campfire for the night.

"I wonder where Kurami is; she's been gone a long time," Shippo remarked.

"Yeah, I know. It's kinda strange," Inuyasha agreed.

_I hope she's not reporting to some demon. I have to figure out what is so strange about her scent. That reminds me, she's losing some of the dragon demon scent,_ Inuyasha thought.

The others soon fell asleep, but Inuyasha stayed up watching over them.

Kurami appeared from the darkness and sat down beside him.

There was a moment of silence before anyone spoke.

"You had the others worried," Inuyasha stated.

"You were worried too."

"Was not!"

"You mean to say you weren't worried that I was reporting to another demon that will attack you?"

"I…that's not…fine. I was worried that you were telling someone," Inuyasha huffed.

Kurami smirked. "Night, Inuyasha."

She curled up in a ball; her cloak wrapped around her torso and fell asleep.

Almost a week later, the group was approaching a village when there was a high pitched scream.

"What was that?" Kagome wondered.

The scream came again.

"Do you think it's coming from the village?" Sango asked the others.

"No," Kurami stated calmly. "But the screaming is because of the village."

"What do you mean?" Miroku questioned.

Kurami unsheathed Kanashimi. The scream sounded a third time; this time it sounded more like a roar. Kanashimi pulsed at the same time as the scream.

"Is the sound coming from your blade?" Shippo asked.

"Yes, Shippo, it is. You see, this blade is made from one of my mother's fangs, just like your sword was made from your father's fang, Inuyasha. Whenever my mother saw destroyed villages, or carnage of war, she'd lift her head and cry out to the skies. Because this fang is from her, and because of the power inside it, it too cries out to the sky at the sight of sadness and evil."

"Interesting," Miroku commented.

"So are you saying this village is destroyed?" Sango wondered.

"That or something bad has happened to many people in this village."

"Well, we'd better check it out. Could be a demon," Inuyasha stated as he began to walk forward.

As they entered the village, it was evident that something had come through.

Houses were ripped apart and pieces were burned. Some flames still existed in some places. Bodies were strewn everywhere. Blood pooled on the ground.

"Who could have done something like this?" Shippo asked innocently.

"A demon of some kind," Inuyasha grunted.

As they continued to walk through, they noticed nothing had gone untouched by the demon. Even the small shrine had been knocked down.

"What are we going to do?" Kagome asked.

"Wait here for the demon that is responsible," Inuyasha responded. "We won't wait long; just through the night and into tomorrow morning."

"Let's hope he doesn't come tonight," Kurami stated. _Tonight's a full moon._

The others agreed. They didn't want to have to fight another demon.

The group found a grassy plain outside the village to spend the night.

Kurami kept pacing back and forth.

"Would ya sit down already?" Inuyasha asked.

Kurami replied with a glare and low growl.

"What's your problem?"

"How did you act on the night of the new moon?"

Inuyasha then realized tonight was her night of weakness.

As the sun sunk down behind the horizon, Kurami stood up. When the sun disappeared, her hair became black, her nails and fangs became human, and her wings disappeared.

Kurami walked away from the group and went to sit on a hill, her back to the others. She looked up at the sky.

"I wonder if she's alright," Kagome wondered.

"Ah, she'll be fine. I think she knows how to take care of herself," was Inuyasha's response.

"Hmmm," Kagome said. She remembered what Kurami had said about leaving Inuyasha alone. Kagome assumed Kurami had said that because that's how she feels on her night of weakness. Kagome looked at the strange girl. She was sarcastic and tough, but brave and caring.

Kagome lied down and quickly fell asleep.

Inuyasha watched as each member of their group fell asleep. Sango was curled up by big Kirara; Miroku was on his back, snoring slightly; Kagome was close to the fire and Shippo was cuddled up beside her. He then turned his gaze to the one wasn't asleep. Kurami was still sitting on the hill, staring at the sky.

He was still confused by her scent; it still smelled like a demon, even now when she was completely human. However, he was starting to trust her. She had helped him save Kagome. And she had fought the bat demon by herself. The lightning attack was pretty cool.

He wondered what she was thinking about now.

Kurami stared at the stars in the sky. She was silently recalling the names of stars and constellation. She saved the constellation Draco for last. **(Draco is a dragon constellation). **The star that was closest to the dragon's heart shone the brightest.

_Where are you?_ She asked the stars in the night sky. Of course, she got no reply.

"Mom, I wish you could guide me now; you would've helped defeat Naraku and his armies. I fear that he will attack my village next. At the same time, I know I am supposed to help Inuyasha in some way. I am torn. And I constantly worry about him. He hasn't returned yet; does that mean he has failed? I have faith in him, but my heart still aches."

Kurami pulled out her necklace. She rubbed it with her thumb. Tears began their decent down her face.

_This star will always shine as my promise to you that I will return. It will be the brightest because I care about you. When you look at it, remember me._ His words rang in her head. "He will come back," she whispered.

Inuyasha stood up, and walked over to where Kurami was sitting.

"Can I sit here?" he asked.

She just nodded.

He noticed she was rubbing the necklace from her mom.

"You think about your mom too?" Inuyasha asked.

"Yeah. I often wish she was here to give me advice as to what to do. And so she could just be there when I needed her."

"I know what you mean."

She gave a half-smile.

"What was she like?"

"I only saw her a few times, but I've memorized what she looked like. As I said before, she was a weather dragon. Her hair, when she was in her humanoid form, was bright blue. That was the color of her scales in her true form. She was beautiful, yet dangerous."

"How did you end up in a demon slayer village?"

Kurami sighed before answering. "My mother left me on the doorstep of a village monk. She had other duties to attend to and wasn't sure the others would accept me, being a half-demon and all. Anyways, he took me in. As I grew up, I noticed the villagers stopped trusting the monk. They believed he couldn't protect them from demons if he had a half-demon living with him."

"They knew you were half-demon?"

"I have dark blue hair, talons, and wings," Kurami replied. "Anyways, when I was five, I ran away. I didn't want to completely ruin the monk's reputation."

"Where did you go?"

"From place to place. I stole food from villages. I learned how to fight demons. I survived on my own. That's why I don't always trust people. When I was ten I stumbled across Totosai. After killing a demon that was chasing him, he offered to make me a sword."

"He made you a sword?"

"Yeah, somehow he had my mom's fang. How he had it I will never know."

"So, how did you end up at the slayer village?"

"I learned how to use my sword to fight demons. I still had my night of weakness though. On those nights, I never slept. I was aware that some demons may attack me, and I didn't want to be caught off guard.

"I was resting underneath a tree, my sword across my knees. Suddenly, a demon appeared before me. I almost killed him, but he avoided my sword. He told me he didn't want to hurt me. I sheathed my sword. He asked if he could help me. I replied very coldly that I didn't need help."

I paused and smiled as I remembered that night.

*Flashback*  
"Look, I'm not going to hurt you," the demon told me again. "I want to help you."

"And I already told you, I don't need your help," Kurami replied bitterly.

"I understand your hesitation. Demons don't like humans, and humans don't like demons."

"Yeah, everyone knows demons and humans don't get along, but that doesn't mean you understand me."

Kurami sat back down underneath the tree, and closed her eyes.

"Well, I'm sorry if I disturbed your sleep."

"You didn't. I wasn't sleeping."

The demon didn't say anything. When Kurami opened her eyes, he was gone, but somehow, she knew he was still watching her. She closed her eyes again.

Kurami opened her eyes and realized that she had fallen asleep. Mentally kicking herself, Kurami stood up. She looked up at the sky and noticed that it was very close to dawn. Climbing the tree, she was able to get a better view of the sunrise.

Kurami only had to wait a few minutes before the sun came over the horizon.

Her hair became dark blue, her talons came back, and her wings appeared.

She jumped down from the tree. As she was about to leave, the demon she had seen the previous night, appeared in front of her. In the daylight, she could clearly see that he was a dragon demon, just like her.

"Where's that human girl from last night?" he asked her.

"What human?"

"There was a human girl underneath this tree last night. Where did she go?"

"Why do you want to know?"

"I have some food for her."

"And I already told you, twice in fact, I…DON'T…NEED…HELP," Kurami said with emphasized pauses.

"You're a half-demon. You were the girl from last night."

"Good job. And if you tell anyone, I will hunt you down."

"I won't tell anyone," he promised. "I'm Takeshi."

"I'm Kurami."  
*End of Flashback*

"He's the one that showed me to the slayer village. He was friends with Aniyuki. Aniyuki accepted me into his home and I've lived there ever since."

"Did you ever see him again? Takeshi, I mean."

"Yes." Kurami said with a distant look in her eyes.

"How did you know he would keep his promise about the night of the full moon?" Inuyasha asked.

"I looked in his eyes. Eyes don't lie."

"What happened next?"

"Before he took me to the village?"

"Yeah."

"I beat him up. More than once."

Inuyasha laughed. "Why?"

"He continued to follow me. I knew he was doing it to protect me. I got angry. I had told him multiple times that I didn't need help."

Inuyasha laughed again.

"I would have done the same thing. I hated people offering me help."

"When you're so used to living on your own, that's how you react."

Kurami went into detail about the first time she beat him up. Inuyasha was laughing really hard.

The sun started to come up, but Kurami didn't notice. She was laughing along with Inuyasha as she relived that moment.

Kagome woke up to the sun streaming on her face. She stretched and smiled. Thinking she heard laughter, she looked around. She saw Inuyasha sitting with Kurami; they were laughing hysterically. Kagome felt a pain in her heart. She looked away, unable to watch the scene. _First Kikyo, now Kurami. Will I ever have a place in Inuyasha's heart?_


	8. Understanding A Misunderstanding

**Hey guys, sorry it has been sooo long since I've updated. Here is the next chapter, and I apologize because it is mostly a filler chapter. I promise a longer chapter next, with more InuKag. And maybe reveal secrets. Read and Review!**

Ch. 8—Understanding a Misunderstanding

Kagome began gathering her belongings. She was going to go back home. _I can't just sit and watch them. I have to study anyways._

The others were starting to wake up-or were just now showing signs of it. In fact, Sango had been awake when Kagome awaken. She had witnessed Kagome's hurt look as she saw the two half-demons laughing together.

Inuyasha and Kurami, who was back to being a half-demon, strolled towards the group.

"Hey Kagome, where are ya going?" Inuyasha wondered.

"Home."

Sango looked at Miroku from behind Inuyasha. Her look told him Kagome was disheartened.

"What?"

"I have to study. I'll be back in the three days." She said as she walked away.

"Hey, Kagome! Get back here!" Inuyasha ran after.

"SIT BOY!" was heard by those that stayed behind.

"Is everything alright with her?" Kurami asked.

Sango looked at Miroku again.

"What were you and Inuyasha laughing at?"

"I was telling him a story about how I beat up the demon that showed me to the demon slayer village."

"That's it?"

"Yeah. Why?"

Sango hesitated. Kurami could tell she knew the answer, but was unsure whether or not to tell her.

"Well, she's obviously upset about something. I know she said she had to study or something, but I _am_ a girl, I can tell she wasn't telling the full truth."

"Ummm. Well, there is this other girl," Sango started.

"Kagome likes Inuyasha but won't admit it because she thinks he still likes Kikyo."

"Who's Kikyo?"

"Well, Kikyo is the woman Inuyasha loved 50 years ago. Naraku made himself look like Inuyasha and lied to Kikyo. He then attacked her. Kikyo thought she had been betrayed by Inuyasha, so she went searching for him."

"Wait, is this the woman that shot the arrow that Kagome freed from Inuyasha?"

"Yup. She shot the arrow and bound Inuyasha to the tree. She died not long afterwards from her wounds. The Shikon Jewel was burned with her body."

"That's how Kagome got the jewel, because she's the reincarnation of Kikyo. But why does that matter?"

"Kikyo was resurrected. But she's not exactly living because her soul now lives in Kagome. Kikyo obtains souls from her soul collectors."

"Now that Kikyo is back, Kagome fears she won't receive his love. Then she sees us laughing and assumes he likes me too," Kurami realized.

"But don't tell Inuyasha. He's too daft to realize her true feelings for him," Sango quickly urged.

"Fine."

Inuyasha then rejoined the others.

"Damn Kagome. What are we going to do now?"

"We can go visit Kaede," Shippo exclaimed.

"We can stay there until Lady Kagome comes back," Miroku added.

"Whatever."

Inuyasha pouted the whole way to Kaede's hut.

"Kaede," Shippo yelled as they neared her hut.

"What are ye doing here? And where is Kagome?" she asked.

"She went back home," Inuyasha grumbled.

"Come in. Ye must be hungry. I have soup on the fire."

"Oh, boy," Shippo stated excitedly.

"What is your name, child?" Kaede asked, now addressing Kurami.

"Kurami. I'm a half-dragon demon."

"Make yeself comfortable."

Kurami nodded in appreciation.

That night, Kurami wondered if she was to blame for Kagome's departure. _I must explain things when she gets back,_ she thought.

Meanwhile, Inuyasha was wondering if there was a deeper meaning to Kagome's leave. _Was it something I said? Nah, I didn't say anything to her. Why does that woman have to be so frustrating?_

Sango saw Kurami looking at the stars.

"Can I sit here?" she asked the half-demon.

"Sure."

Miroku came and stood behind them. Shippo was asleep on the floor next to the fire.

"What's everybody doing out here?" Inuyasha wondered.

No one answered.

"Well, I'm looking at the stars," Kurami replied.

"They're just stars."

"Every star has a name; each one special. And every constellation is unique. The constellations represent things of the past. In its own way, the sky tells a story." Kurami answered back.

"So?"

"And you say they're just stars," Kurami said sarcastically.

Inuyasha shrugged.

"I know all the stars' name and to which constellation they belong. Maybe if you knew them, you would appreciate them."

Inuyasha shrugged again.

The next two days passed quickly. Inuyasha spent most of the time grumbling about Kagome going off again. Kurami rolled her eyes, but made a note to explain things to Kagome when she got back. Miroku and Sango just tried to get the half-demon to calm down as he paced back and forth.

Finally the third day came, much to everyone's relief.

"Do you think she'll come here to look for us?" Shippo asked.

"Of course, kid. She knows that we wait for her here whenever she goes back," Inuyasha replied.

It wasn't until close to sunset that Kagome walked into Kaede's hut.

She gave a small smile at the group.

"KAGOME!" Shippo yelled as he jumped up to hug her neck.

"Hey, Shippo."

Sango came up and hugged the girl next.

"Lady Kagome, good to see you again," Miroku stated.

Kagome looked at Inuyasha, wondering-secretly hoping-if he would say anything. He didn't.

"We'll stay the night here and leave tomorrow," Inuyasha stated.

He was glad that Kagome was back, but he wouldn't dare tell anyone that he missed her. Everything was different when she was gone. He didn't have someone to argue with, or fight beside, or rescue from some random demon.

The following morning, the group left Kaede's house to continue searching for Naraku.

"Bye, Kaede," Shippo called from Kagome's shoulder.

"Take care," she replied.

Sango and Miroku climbed onto Kirara's back, Kagome climbed onto Inuyasha's back, and Kurami unfurled her wings.

As the group traveled, Inuyasha noticed that Kagome was quiet and more withdrawn than normal. Sango and Miroku noticed it too.

"Hey, Kagome, are you hungry?" Inuyasha wondered.

The girl shrugged, "Not really."

"Alright, well, just let me know if you change your mind."

Later in the day, the group was walking down a path.

"Kagome, can I talk to you?" Kurami asked.

"Mhmm," Kagome answered.

The two dropped back a little ways, far away enough that Inuyasha couldn't eavesdrop, but close enough that the others wouldn't worry.

"Kagome, I just wanted to clear some things up. I have no feelings towards Inuyasha, and he has no feelings towards me. The other night, I was telling him a story about me travelling to the slayer village. You don't have to worry about anything."

Kagome looked at the half-demon with immense relief.

"Besides, there's someone else for me," Kurami left it at that and walked ahead of Kagome.

Kagome could hardly contain the joy inside her. Sure, she still had to deal with Kikyo, but one girl was better than battling with two. And maybe, she could be friends with the sarcastic, somewhat stand-offish Kurami.


End file.
